Saints Athletics at The College of St. Scholastica

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Scholastica Nordic Ski Head Coach Chad Salmela has announced that 14 new skiers intend to participate for CSS’s men’s and women’s Nordic Ski teams starting this winter.

Wayzata’s Kasey Bacso was the top-ranked Minnesota prep skier for much of the 2009 season, finished fourth in the Minnesota State Meet, then raced to a sixth-place finish nationally at the U.S. Junior National Ski Championships in Truckee, Calif. Edging Bacso in the Minnesota State Meet for third spot was Ryan Wright, leader of the state champion Forest Lake boys team. These two standouts lead the best, largest, and deepest recruiting class in the program’s four-year history.

Beyond Bacso and Wright on the men’s side is top Midwest junior skier, John Wessling of Maple Grove and Intermountain Division's Jake Morgan of Bozeman, Montana, also intend to join the Saints—both experienced junior national championship competitors—as well as St. Paul Central’s state meet participant, Kelin Dunfee.

The lady Saints have eight newcomers, led by state championship skiers Lindsey Johnson of St. Louis Park and Marshall School’s Sarah Johnson. Mounds View’s Laura Smith and Woodbury’s Mari Wallis are also historically strong ski racers on the list for the Saints.

“On paper, this is the best and deepest group of recruits we’ve ever seen,” said CSS Head Coach Chad Salmela. “Kasey, Ryan, John, and Jake add to an already strong, deep men’s program, and the women who have committed are a big-potential group with depth and experience.”

The Saints ski team has continued to grow competitively and in numbers. It has sent a male competitor to the NCAA Championships the past two seasons with Bjorn Bakken in 2008 and Tyler Kjorstad in 2009, and grew to a roster of 27 in 2009. Salmela sees this group of skiers furthering the Saints first three years of progress. “Several kids on this list have the competitive potential of a Bjorn or Tyler, or even more. But it takes thoughtful, diligent work to get to that level, and I think these kids are coming here because they know that already. Most importantly, we have a big group of all different levels of skiers, and I think that is the true strength of this program. That will be this team's legacy. There are some very competitive names on this incoming roster, but better than that, there are 14 of them.”

The Saints ski team begins its fourth season in 2010.

Incoming Saints Ski Team skiers:

MEN
Kasey Bacso Plymouth, MN Wayzata Senior H S
Kelin Dunfee St Paul, MN St. Paul Central HS
Keegan McMahon Andover, MN Anoka Senior H S
Jacob Morgan Bozeman, MT Bozeman Senior H S
John Wessling Maple Grove, MN Maple Grove Senior H S
Ryan Wright Wyoming, MN Forest Lake Senior H S

WOMEN
Justine Brodin Scandia, MN Forest Lake Senior H S/Bemidji State U
Lindsey Johnson St Louis Park, MN St Louis Park H S
Sarah Johnson Duluth, MN The Marshall School
Sarah Koehler Ramsey, MN Anoka Senior H S
Kirsten Lerom Ramsey, MN Anoka Senior H S
Laura Smith North Oaks, MN Mounds View Senior H S
Jenna Stauffer Apple Valley, MN Eastview H S
Mari Wallis Woodbury, MN Woodbury Senior H S